Ashtons POV

After Payton stormed out i headed back out to the public arena.

"Hey Ashy" a small voice screeched.

Cringing i turned to face the small blonde from this morning.

"Ashley" i nodded

"Oh um my names actually.." she went to explain but honestly i didn't care, this chick was annoying me and the only girl infiltrating my mind was Payton.

Why did i even care?

"Look I honestly don't care what your name is" I interrupted her before turning away and heading into my office.

I didn't make it a habit to sleep with  the same girl twice. I was a rich and dangerous man, I couldn't allow someone to be a target because of me again.

I picked up my phone and dialled Matthew.

The phone rang twice before Matthew picked it up "Hey i need you to find out what time the fights are at the underground tonight."

"Okay sounds good boss, did you find out anything on Rivers?" He asked.

"Yea shes a fighter at the underground, which means if there's a fight tonight she will most likely be there" i explained, feeling irritable.

"Wait shes fighting in the underground? Is she asking for a death sentence?"

"Just get me the details" i snapped before hanging the phone up.

I sat in my office in silence for a few moments before opening my office door and calling Ashley in.

"Ashley!" I called her over

"Yes Ashyy" she bounded over fluttering her fake ass eyelashes at me. I don't know why i didn't notice how cheap and desperate she looked before but i needed some relief and i needed it now.

"Inside Now" i motioned into the office room before pulling the blinds shut and locking the door. Ashley stood there seductively or at least trying to be. I lead her over the the chair and kissed her roughly pulling her down so she was straddling my lap.

Needless to say the next 30 minutes involved her screaming my name.

**********************************

"Hey Alicia?" I asked

"Hmm" she mumbled laying her head on my shoulder while still straddling my cock after our little session.

"Get out"

She looked up at me startled before jumping off me, furiously collecting her clothes and walking towards the door.

"Ashton you are an absolute F**ing ass and my name is Amber!" she seethed before exiting the room and slamming the door shut.

Two women pissed off at me in one night, must be a new record i thought smugly.

I stood up and straightening myself out, grimacing at the pink lipstick smear down my cheek. I had 2 hours till the fights started so I decided to lock up the gym once  i kicked the last straggler out.

                             ••••••••••••••

The underground was by the old docking bay on the old part of town, most of the place was run down warehouses, old boats no longer in commission and a place where alot of illegal activities were held. Police were paid off not to come around here and even if they weren't paid off they wouldn't come here for their own safety.

Snitches get stitches around here.

I pulled up to the port and parked my car. Carefully watching four men with M16-A4's strapped to their backs circle the car park. They must of upped the security for tonight i noted.

I walked to the old warehouse watching my surroundings carefully. The Russian gang couldn't find out who i was or i would be dead before i could blink.

I moved to the top of a stairwell  before nicking the toe of my shoe on the cracked concrete.  Handing the bouncer a wade of cash I stepped down through the entrance hiding behind my dark sunglasses. The chanting of the room was thunderous. It looked like an important night tonight, many of the gangs allies and surprisingly a few of my own lackeys were around the space all watching the fight happening in front of them.

Handing a  navy blue haired ring girl my bet i found a seat and turned my attention to the fight. Surprisingly Payton and a HD6 member  that i had been keeping tabs on from the night of James Rivers murder, were circling each other in the ring.

Payton obviously had the upper hand, the Round stocky man was looking worse for wear. Witnessing as she jabbed the guy sending him sprawling across the stained floor.

I watched as he got up and started flinging himself furiously at Paytons short form. She was quick id give her that but i noticed how she slightly dropped her left arm just barely enough to allow a swift hit to her ribs. It would only be a short time before her opponent noticed it too.

Suddenly Payton gave a sharp grunt and kicked  her fathers killer frantically across the room sending him to the floor again. The whole room went unusually silent, staggering she turned around scanning the room and somehow locking her eyes automatically on me. I looked down as red blossomed from her abdomen staining her white top, a switchblade protruding from her side.

That piece of shit.

Murderous rage flooded through my veins, i was seething inside, i knew this was the underground ring and that kind of thing happens all the time but even i knew that was a cheap shot.

Payton stared at me expressionless only wincing slightly as she pulled the knife from her body, throwing it outside the ring and letting it clatter at my feet.

She was tough, not just anyone could pull a knife from their body and barely even wince. She  was a puzzle I just couldn't solve.

I knew from experience that not just anybody could do what she did unless they had been through some traumatic shit, and even then to just openly pull a knife from your body throw it out of the ring as a big fuck you to mafia and the crows and then keep fighting was nothing short of extraordinary.

Her face was one i knew oh so well. Cold, calculating full of unadulterated rage. She didn't even resemble the spirited girl i met at school.

Blood bubbled from her wound, staining the floor crimson. Turning back to her opponent she waited for him to get back up and the referee to call the next round before she went for the kill, merciless jabbing and kicking anywhere she could get at. Gradually you could see her slowing down and weakening as her opponent grinned and punched her across the jaw.

Grinding my teeth i sat back clenching my fists in fury. I don't know why but i had this urge to protect her but right now I couldn't do anything without giving up my  identity. If i did that it would be game over for my gang, we would be eradicated.

Why did she have to fight here? Against our biggest rivals? Why, why, why.

Payton at some point must have realized she wasn't going to last much longer, blood was making the floor slick and she was tiring out quickly. She wound up her back leg without a second thought and sent a powerful kick to the HD members head sending him sprawling backwards. Down he went, out cold. The crowd erupted in a mixture of cheers and cries of  disappointment but all that mattered was that Payton made it out alive.

The referee counted down 10,9,8,7,6... with each passing number Payton swayed back and forth like the pendulum on a grandfather clock. Once the Ref hit one and the bells went off Payton dropped to the ground like a sack of stones, certifiably unconscious as her blood continued to pool around her.